{"product_id":"king-of-the-action-thriller-brian-hannan-9781476695334","title":"King of the Action Thriller: Films from the Mind of Alistair MacLean","description":"\u003cp\u003e The Scottish novelist Alistair MacLean didn't speak English until he was six, but he went on to become one of the world's best-selling authors (over 150 million copies sold) and Hollywood's highest-paid. His films are the very portrait of action. \u003ci\u003eWhere Eagles Dare\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Guns of Navarone\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePuppet on a Chain\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFear Is the Key\u003c\/i\u003e set the template for \u003ci\u003eDie Hard\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eBourne\u003c\/i\u003e films, and \u003ci\u003eJohn Wick\u003c\/i\u003e. The cable car fight, speedboat pursuit, and car chase set a new high for action sequences. Movies were sold on his name alone. He achieved Hollywood's highest honor--his name above the title--because he appealed to a vast global audience. This is the first book to explore Alistair MacLean's unique magic. This work details how 18 of his bestsellers were transformed into movies and mini-series. His movies starred Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Gregory Peck, Donald Sutherland, multiple Oscar nominees Richard Burton and Richard Harris, and two-time Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins. Although these massive actors lent their talents to his works, moviemakers had such faith in MacLean's name as a marketing tool that they handed leading roles to unknowns like George Maharis or Sven Bertil-Taube. \"Broadsword calling Danny Boy,\" one of his greatest lines, has become a secret code among cinemagoers rejoicing in his works. This much-needed work of cinema history fills a gap in the scholarship, telling the full story of the man who dominated the action movie for two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Brian Hannan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1476695334\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781476695334\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e McFarland \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/17\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 195\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.39d","brand":"Brian Hannan","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46807149740287,"sku":"9781476695334","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_965ddc92-8ee9-4833-b909-6c28483c691b.jpg?v=1745378682","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/king-of-the-action-thriller-brian-hannan-9781476695334","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}